Cherished Memories Revived

Cherished Memories Revived: The Batch of 1987-1991January 18, 2007 It was one of those days when I felt drained of energy and getting out of the bed and readying for the college seemed nothing less than Herculean tasks to me. But when I thought of the busy day ahead I got up and immersed myself in my daily routine. It must have been 9-20 A when I was collecting my register to go to the class when the phone rang and it was a long-distant call from an unfamiliar number. “I am
Lt. Col Rajeev Sinha.” The speaker at the other end introduced himself. Rajeev Sinha, the name rang some familiarity in my mind but who could this person be? I wondered. “Is it Saroj Ma’am?” he asked. “Yes, I am.” I replied still not sure of the identity of the caller. The voice at the other end was full of excitement “Ma’am it is Rajeev Sinha from the batch of 1987!” I tried hard to think more. “I was so naughty” he added and then as an afterthought said, “But am not naughty anymore.” I was able to see some faces that came close to the name and when he named some of his classmates, I was able to place him but still was not very sure. He was excitement personified and his voice was animated with enthusiasm. Rajeev wanted to know all that he could about the college where he had spent four years of his life—years that transform a young boy to a responsible man! “Ma’am how is the college? It must have changed!” he wanted to know. Then even without waiting for my answer he carried on, “and how is Dr. Dhar, Jha Sir and S.C Sharma Sir?” He wanted to know all about the place and the people associated with the place. I told him all that he wanted to know. He was sad to know about Dr. Dhar’s demise. A true dedication from a student!“Ma’am, I must be talking to you after a gap of about fifteen years but your voice has not changed” He continued, “Do you still smile a lot? I remember you smiling all the time?” “Yes, I do smile a lot.” I said but didn’t want to say that now-a-days this smile is an effort at times—a kind of a put-on plastic smile. I thought of the efforts that people in service industry have to brave when they have to present their best imager while dealing with the customers. But thank God , even today once I go to the class, I get into the flow of my job as teaching is not just a profession for me but is a passion. I thanked God for having given me strength to have braved so many years in the institute. “Ma’am what about your kids? I remember that they were very small at that time.” I told him about my kids and now I wanted to know about his family. “I have a son and my wife Renu is from
Patna, I want to bring my family to Hamirpur.” He was suddenly nostalgic about the old world charm that he felt attached to. “How are the newstudents?” He had a feeling to connect to the present students. “I want to come to Hamirpur and meet th4e students and talk to them about a lot many things.” “Any day, dear!” I offered him generously. I really wanted him to come and see for himself the place as it stands today. He talked about so many of his friends and class mates and told me about how good they were doing in their chosen careers. I remembered many of them as the names reverberated a familiarity and some impression about many of them would regale me. Ashish Kukrety and his dramatics! Rajneesh Chauhan with a full throated voice. The list was endless and so were the memories. Rajeev continued, “Ma’am I used to be very slim during college days but now I have put on weight but I a still very agile and active.” Rajeev had so much to talk about, learn about and listen to about the place and persons who had left this great impact on him. Like all other things the call, too, had to come to an end but we disconnected promising to be in touch now onwards. I left for the class, was rather quite late for the class. But was really feeling energized. All the feeling of drained-of-energy was gone. A phone call, a reconnection with an old student, did the trick. Back in class I looked at the faces of students and wondered would anyone of them call me some fifteen years from now! Yes, they would. I am optimistic as it is the investment in love, trust and affection that would pay us later.

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One thought on “Cherished Memories Revived”

Lt Col Rajeev Sinha.

Thanks Madam,

1.I know for sure, lots of us must be keen to know about the college and its activities, however the extra energy reqd must be somewhere missing.I shall try to collect and use it for everyone.
2.Dear Puneet was my room mate, left us under mysterious circumtances after falling from running train.it took really some time for me to come out of it.
3.Once again thanks for sweet and affectionate thoughts.
4. Regards,
Rajeev